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Budget deficit still looming?

The Clintonville School Board unanimously approved a tentative 2014-15 budget that contains a $225,307 shortfall for the General Fund of Fund 10, when it met Monday, June 23.

In early May the board approved a preliminary budget that contained a $428,487 shortfall. At that time, Lynette Edwards, who took over the business manager position with the district on July 1, said the district was dealing with a lot of estimates and unknowns. She said key future dates included: the Sept. 19 third Friday count, the end of September certification of equalized values, and the end of October state aid recalculation.

Another budget will be presented to the board in August. A General Fund levy will be approved in October.

Handbook approval
When it came time to approve the high school and middle school handbooks School Board member Jim Schultz said the middle school handbook was “absolutely embarrassing.” “I would be embarrassed to send this out in public,” Schultz said. 

One of his complaints was the mission statement didn’t talk about education.

“The focus and the feel of the whole document just makes me cringe,” he said. 

He added that the handbook didn’t feel welcoming to students. He said it is his belief that if you expect good behavior in the classroom, you will get good behavior.

“This tells me they expect bad behavior,” Schultz said. 

Schultz recommended overhauling the entire middle school handbook. 

“It bothers me that education doesn’t seem to be the focus of the middle school,” Schultz said. “Correcting bad behavior seems to be.

“To correct bad behavior is to have good lessons and an exciting classroom.” 

He said he would be willing to work with someone to rewrite the handbook.

The board voted to approve the high school handbook and revise the middle school handbook. 

Donation
Mary-Beth Kuester addressed the board during the public comments portion of the meeting. She told the board that when she ran for Clintonville City Council she pledged to donate her alderwoman salary to something that would go back to the taxpayers. 

“I’ve been talking to the principal about the theater program and I’m delighted to hear that you have found faculty members who are going to take care of the theater program locally,” Kuester told the board. “That’s wonderful. And in recognition of that I’m going to be donating my salary as an alderman this year.”

She said the salary for a city council member is around $2,000. She added that she would also donate the salary she receives when special city council meetings are held. 

“I’m very pleased to support the theater and I commend you that you did find some wonderful people to do it,” Kuester said. 

Resignations
The school board accepted the resignation of custodian John Korb for the purpose of retirement.

It also accepted the resignation of Sam Santacroce as Clintonville Middle School principal, effective June 30. District Superintendent Tom O’Toole said Santacroce accepted a position with a different school district. 

The board also accepted the resignation of K4 elementary teacher Kristin Blaser.

New hires
The board approved the hire of Steve Emslander to a three percent German Club advisor position. 

It also approved the extra-curricular hires of school musical advisors — Leah Armstrong, Megan Meyers, Josh Heyer, and Gary Putnam. Each of the hires will be for four percent of their time.

 

 
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